INTRODUCTION

Air pollution is the world’s largest environmental threat to human health and one of

the major preventable causes of death and disease. According to WHO, the ambient and

household air pollution together account for 7 million premature deaths globally every year,

making it more deadly than a combination of malaria, tuberculosis, and AIDS. In particular,

an estimated 4.2 million people die prematurely around the world due to ambient air

pollution, mostly from heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung

cancer, and acute respiratory infections in children. It disproportionately affects women,

children, and the elderly in developing nations, who are frequently exposed to ambient and

indoor air pollution.

Air pollution is defined as the introduction of pollutants, organic molecules, or other

unsafe materials into Earth’s atmosphere. This can be in the form of excessive gases like

carbon dioxide and other vapours that cannot be effectively removed through natural cycles,

such as the carbon cycle or the nitrogen cycle . Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical or

biological change in the air. It is the contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which

affects plants, animals and humans drastically.

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 There is certain percentage of gases present in the atmosphere. An increase or decrease in the

composition of these gases is harmful to survival. This imbalance in the gaseous composition has

resulted in an increase in earth’s temperature, which is known as global warming.

Types of Air Pollutants

There are two types of air pollutants:

i. Primary Pollutants

The pollutants that directly cause air pollution are known as primary pollutants. Sulphur-

dioxide emitted from factories is a primary pollutant.

ii. Secondary Pollutants

The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants are known as

secondary pollutants. Smog, formed by the intermingling of smoke and fog, is a secondary

pollutant.

Causes of Air Pollution

Some important causes of air pollution:

i. Burning of Fossil Fuels

The combustion of fossil fuels emits a large amount of sulphur dioxide. Carbon monoxide

released by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels also results in air pollution.

ii. Automobiles

The gases emitted from vehicles such as jeeps, trucks, cars, buses, etc. pollute the

environment. These are the major sources of greenhouse gases and also result in diseases

among individuals.

iii. Agricultural Activities

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Ammonia is one of the most hazardous gases emitted during agricultural activities. The

insecticides, pesticides and fertilisers emit harmful chemicals in the atmosphere and

contaminate it.

iv. Factories and Industries

Factories and industries are the main source of carbon monoxide, organic compounds,

hydrocarbons and chemicals. These are released into the air, degrading its quality.

v. Mining Activities

In the mining process, the minerals below the earth are extracted using large pieces of

equipment. The dust and chemicals released during the process not only pollute the air, but

also deteriorate the health of the workers and people living in the nearby areas.

vi. Domestic Sources

The household cleaning products and paints contain toxic chemicals that are released in the

air. The smell from the newly painted walls is the smell of the chemicals present in the paints.

It not only pollutes the air but also affects breathing.

SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION

1. Natural sources

a. Dirt from natural sources, typically big areas of land with little or no plant life.

b. Methane, discharged by the breakdown of food (digestion) by animals, for example,

cattle Smoke and CO from jungle fires.

c. Volcanic activity, which emits sulphur, chlorine, and ash particulates

d. Causes of Major Effects of Air Pollution

e. Air pollution has a very negative effect on humans and the ecosystem. The

constituents can be dense particles, fluid, or gasses. A contaminant can be of natural

or artificial. Contaminants are categorized as primary or secondary.

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 2. Man-made (Artificial) sources of Air pollution

These are mostly linked to the combustion of several kinds of fuel. Immobile sources entail

clouds of smoke from power plants, industrial facilities (manufacturing works) and waste

furnaces, as well as incinerators and other sorts of fuel-burning heating devices. In poor and

developing countries, archaic biomass burning is the chief cause of air pollution; traditional

biomass embraces wood, crop leftovers and excrement. Movable sources comprise

automobiles, aquatic vessels, and planes. Controlled burning is a procedure sometimes used

in forest management, agriculture, prairie re-establishment. Fire is an accepted facet of both

forest and grassland ecosystem and an organized fire can be an instrument for foresters.

Precise burning kindles the sprouting of some desirable trees, thus renewing the forest.

Fumes from hair spray, paint, aerosol sprays, varnish and other solvents Waste deposits in

landfills create methane. Methane is extremely combustible and may form an explosive and

volatile concoction with air. Methane is furthermore an asphyxiant and may displace oxygen

in a sealed-off space. Suffocation may result if the oxygen concentration goes below 19.5%

by displacement. Military resources, such as nuclear weapons, toxic gasses, germ warfare and

rocketry.

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

a. Effects of Air pollution on Health

According to WHO, household air pollution accounts for some 3.8 million premature deaths

and outdoor air pollution causes an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths, together

accounting for 7 million deaths every year globally. Low-income and middle-income

countries are more heavily affected by air pollution by accounting for 90% of 4.2 million

deaths (outdoor air pollution). As children with developing lungs, people with pre-existing

health complications, and the elderly are more heavily affected by air pollution than other

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populations, more care is needed to protect those groups of people in the event of high air

pollution. The WHO also summarizes how much the proportion of each disease is attributable

to outdoor air pollution. Lung cancer (deaths & disease): 9% Acute Lower respiratory

infection (deaths & disease): 17% Stroke (deaths): 24% Ischemic heart disease (deaths &

disease): 25% Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (deaths & disease): 43%. Specifically,

exposure to air pollutants is known to increase admission to hospitals and the mortality rate.

Depending on the exposure level and the type of air pollutant, varying short-term (e.g.

nausea, skin irritation) to long-term (e.g. cancer) health complications can arise.

b. Effects of Air pollution on Agriculture

Food security and crop productivity are strongly linked, and previous studies have shown that

air pollutants like ground-level O3 and PM can impact crop productivity, but in different

ways.

Ground-level O3 Effect on Crop Productivity: The ground-level O3 adversely affects crop

productivity by hindering the gas exchange, inflicting damage to plant tissues, and interfering

with its growth. Exposure to O3 can lead to about 7-12 percent of the reduction in wheat, 3-5

percent of maize, and 6-16% of soy production. The sensitivity of the crop to ozone varies as

wheat and soybean are more sensitive to ozone, followed by potato, rice, and maize. Barley is

negligibly affected by ozone. In the case of Europe, a study in 2000 found that the ozone can

incur 6.7 billion euros loss due to its negative impact on 23 crops. The level of negative effect

on crop productivity is greater for countries with high levels of ground-level O3 than those

with lower levels of ground-level O3 by requiring more stringent measures to O3 precursors

to minimize its impact.

c. Effects of Air pollution on Environment

Acid rain: Acid rain is defined as acidic precipitation (e.g. snow, rain, or fog). It can create

an acidic environment that can ultimately become uninhabitable for plants, animals, and fish.

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Acid rain can also influence the urban environment by making erosion of buildings or

sculptures. The cause of the acid rain is air pollutants such as SOX and NOX, which are

emitted from the burning of fossil fuel or vehicle emission. It is crucial to control the SOX

and NOX emission to tackle the acid rain problem.

Eutrophication: Eutrophication is a phenomenon when the body of water is loaded with

nutrients (e.g., phosphorus and nitrogen) which leads to the growth of plants and algae. Such

a bloom of plants and algae depletes an oxygen level in water that makes the environment

uninhabitable to marine species. Air pollutants can act as a source of eutrophication. For

example, NOX from mobile vehicles and industrial sources released to the atmosphere can

ultimately deposit in water, causing eutrophication. Also, the manures and fertilizers

containing NH3 can induce soil acidification and the subsequent run-off to the water system

can cause eutrophication.

Source: UNEP NOWPAP

Haze: Haze is a phenomenon in which the opacity of the atmosphere increases when fine

solid/aqueous particles suspended in the atmosphere scatter or absorb light, which can be

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either white or brown. It is caused by anthropogenic activities generating air pollutants such

as transportation and industry, as well as natural emission from dust or wildfires. Haze can

result in the impairment of visibility, which can be dangerous for the transportation sector

and also interfere with site-visits and aesthetics.

Source:

WMO/Alfred Lee

d. Effects of Air Pollution on Economy

Overview of Air Pollution Impact on Economy: According to the OECD’s report on the

relationship between outdoor air pollution and the economy, the global healthcare cost

generated from the outdoor air pollution is predicted to reach 176 billion US dollars (USD)

by 2060, compared to 21 billion USD in 2015. Also, premature deaths attributable to outdoor

air pollution are predicted to be 6 to 9 million people by 2060, compared to 3 million people

in 2010. About an eightfold increase in global healthcare expenditure is expected due to the

global rising trend of air pollution emission from economic growth and increasing energy

demand worldwide.

Market Costs Associated with Air Pollution: There are three major market costs linked to

air pollution, namely health spending, labor productivity, and crop yield. Exacerbated air

pollution conditions will increase hospital admission, which will increase health expenditure

and decrease labor productivity. Air pollutants such as O3 decrease the crop yield, which all

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have adverse impacts on the economy. The OECD expects the combined market cost from

health spending, labor productivity, and crop yield to take up 1.0% of global GDP by 2060

compared to 0.3% in 2015 due to the globally increased air pollution trend.

e. Global Warming

Due to the emission of greenhouse gases, there is an imbalance in the gaseous composition of

the air. This has led to an increase in the temperature of the earth. This increase in earth’s

temperature is known as global warming. This has resulted in the melting of glaciers and an

increase in sea levels. Many areas are submerged underwater.

TREATMENT OF AIR POLLUTION

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 CONCLUSION

Air pollution and specifically urban air pollution remain worrying concerns. Indeed, exposure

to air pollutants can lead to an increase not only in morbidity but also in mortality. Even if

important progress was made in order to reduce emissions of industrial sources, with a

substantial decrease in SO2 concentrations, road traffic has become the first source of

emissions in urban areas, with a subsequent increase in photo-oxidant air pollution. Thus, the

development of alternative fuels and engine types that can reduce emissions of air pollutants,

as well as the use of public transport or bicycles for example, are necessary. Moreover,

important decisions need to be taken by governments to reduce air pollution and its hazardous

effects on health and the environment. New studies on the long-term effects of low doses of

air pollutants are needed, including important partnerships between epidemiologists,

toxicologists, metrologists, chemists, physicists and biologists.

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